Angel Winged Clam
by Kafira-chan
Summary: A case brings them to Africa and a friend of Naru and Lin's ship. Love egnites between Lin and Mai. What happens? Sorry for the vague description... Oh and any one who read The Ritual, chapter 7 before this post, you might want to reread it. fixed it.
1. Hindsight

_~~~I do not own Ghost Hunt nor do I own the basis of the idea for this story... It kinda came from Sahara, the movie. Just in general. :D Please enjoy.. I think its a bit rough if i do say so my self. Please R and R.~~~_

There was more to Lin-san and Naru then met the eye. All of us who worked with them knew they both had secrets but we never knew just how deep those secrets went until the day SPR received a case in Africa. It was in all technicalities on a ship used by explorers who found the treasures buried in the ocean.

We didn't know how to react when Naru called us all into the conference room area to tell us of the latest case. There was excitement to be sure of, the excitement of traveling to another country. Yet there was also the layer of unease caused by this newest development in the unknown of our boss and fellow worker.

We all stared at Naru with a gaping fish expression. It was a bit too much to take in, I mean it was an exploration ship. We just didn't expect that from our seriously anti-social to the point that it should actually be illegal boss. It was actually a friend of his and Lin-san's.

Bou-san seemed to gather at least a little of his senses, not that there was much to begin with. He snapped his jaw closed with an audible click before yelling, "Who? What? Where? When? And the most important question WHY???" It was the questions we were all dying to ask.

Naru simply looked at him with a 'get a freaking clue' look before turning back to the file that seemed to deserve his undivided attention. I'm not sure what was in the file but I'd put money on it being porn. What else could hold a guys attention as well as that could???

"We will be leaving tomorrow morning at eight. Meet here and we will ride to the airport together. We will be taking Gus's private plane. Pack for a week." With that he walked back to his office. He didn't even give us the details of what the case was about.

Ayako looked slouched in her chair with an eye roll. "He is pleasant as always." But she leaned forward eagerly. "But enough about him, we're going to Africa, we're going to be on a ship!! This is so exciting!" Just by the look of her face you could tell that thoughts about swimsuits and hot guys were filling her mind.

Of course Bou-san has to make a comment and they are soon fighting away. John heaved a heavy sigh before heading towards the door with a soft goodbye. Masako simply looked longingly at Naru's firmly shut door, pining after the boy like a…. well a pine tree. Nothing else measured up.

I sighed. It wasn't so long ago that I had been pining after the same boy yet my heart soon saw the error of its ways. It had enough of the useless hurting and longing for the boy who would never change. Who my heart longed after now though wasn't a huge step up. He was kind and showed emotion more though defiantly not by much.

Lin-san stood up, picked up his computer and headed towards his office. I shook myself out of my stupor before turning my attention to the people around me. "Tea anyone? Lin-san?" I had to make some any way, call it my amazing intuition but I knew Naru was going to call for some at any mo…

"Mai, tea!" Ding, ding, ding we have a winner. I sighed before looking at everyone again. Nods bobbed around me so I went and did my duty of making tea. I gave it to Naru before heading into Lin's office. Everyone else grabbed theirs off a tray I put on the coffee table.

Lin-san thanked me when I put the cup on his desk, his eyes barely glancing up from the computer screen in front of him. My heart fell a little at this but at least he thanked me.

The rest of the day passed without anything of interest happening and before I knew it, it was time to go home. Packing was easy enough and then it was to bed. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

_Ring, Ring, Ring!! The sound of a phone ringing woke me from my deep and sound slumber. "Stupid phone. Shut Up!!" I threw my pillow in the general direction of the ringing and missed by a mile._

_With a groan I sat up and grabbed the insultive object off my dresser. The number on my phone made me want to curl into a ball and cry. It was Naru and a look at the clock confirmed that I was late by an hour._

"_Hello?" I asked cautiously. I really didn't need to be reamed right now._

_The voice that greeted me on the other end was a welcome surprise. "Mai-Chan, Naru would like to know if you are planning on joining us anytime soon." Something about this didn't sit quite right with me but I couldn't put my finger on it.._

"_Yes, I'm sorry. My alarm didn't go off again. I will be there in half an hour. I'm really sorry." I began rushing around, attempting to dress and talk on the phone at the same time as soon as how late I was hit me. I should have figured it wouldn't work, knowing how uncoordinated I was but I had to try. I ended up falling forwards, my feet tangled in my skirt and face planted into the door._

"_OUCH!!!" I yelled, momentarily forgetting about the phone and in addition the man whose ear was on the other end. _

_A soft grunt of pain from my yell in his ear came over the phone before "Mai-Chan? Are you alright?" I thought I had hit myself harder than I had originally thought because he sounded really concerned._

"_Yeah, I'm fine. My face just met the door." My face burned embarrassment._

"_Okay. Be careful on your way here. Bye." There was a click and I sighed._

_What had I expected? I mumbled "Yea. Okay. I love you Lin-san. Bye to you too," before closing my own phone. In hindsight that probably wasn't the smartest thing I could have done because when I arrived at the SPR offices I found out that he hadn't hung up the phone yet. He had heard everything I had said. I knew this because he glanced at me with a slight smile on his face before heading towards the van._

_My face turned red and I would have given anything for the ground to come up and swallow me but instead I found myself stuffed between him and Naru on the trip to the airport. At the airport I went to the farthest end away from Lin-san and sat there because I really didn't need to make any more of a fool of myself, I was already on a roll._

_It wasn't long after we took off that I ended up falling fast asleep. Flying was awesome, don't get me wrong but the thrill fades quite quickly. So the flight went in intervals of me sleeping, listening to music, and talking to Bou-san and Ayako before we finally landed._


	2. Strange Trouble

_~~~I do not own the song, its called Lullaby for a Stormy Night. But i don't own it.~~~_

The ship was huge! It towered high above where we stood on the ground and it stretched to a great length to the sides. I had never seen anything that big that could float.

The man who stood before us was clean shaven and wore lose fitting work clothes. He looked to be around the age of thirty and greeted Naru and Lin-san with enthusiasm before turning to look at the rest of us.

"Thank you for traveling all this way. I am Gus, I'm the one in command of this ship. Oliver and Lin here have been good friends of mine for years so I called them up for some help. I'm just glad they could make it and that they have what they say is the best team to help." He started walking onto the ship while explaining. "I wouldn't have minded simply ghostly wonders; lights flickering, weird moaning sounds, and the likes. It comes with the territory of what we do on this ship but as soon as something puts my men in danger I won't stand for it." I couldn't help but respect this man, he was open minded and he cared for his men to the extent most employs didn't.

We found ourselves on the ship and getting a tour, it was awing how big it was and all the equipment that was on it. I found myself next to Lin-san as we walked through the boat though the activity around was interesting enough to keep me from being embarrassed about my earlier lack of brains.

Gus led us to a room where our monitors and other equipment was already being set up by his crew. He leaned against the wall once inside and the rest of us gathered around him.

"I'd say it was about a month ago that things beside the normal spooky stuff began. It stated out small enough but seemed to grow into more dangerous occurrences. The first of the more dangerous ones was technical failures which could cost lives on this ship. The next was a series of explosions in the engine room while we were out at sea. Then people started getting sick, and its been nothing any doctor we've seen has seen before. It sounds like it can all be put off to something scientific but we've tried and I know for a fact its not. We've checked and double checked the machinery, checked for the cause of the explosions in the engine room, and everything. There seems to be no cause, that's why I called Oliver and Lin." We all listened intently, taking in the information and attempting the general run through in our heads.

"Could it be an object causing this, Naru?" Bou-san asked, using his noggin for the first time ever. It made sense, I mean we were on a boat that finds historical objects lost for who knows how long. It could be a cursed object or a spirit infested object.

"We won't know until we research more now will we Bou-san. When was the last sign of activity, Gus?" Naru asked, his voice still as emotionless and, well, narcissistic as ever.

Gus looked at his men that were still in the room. One of them, the one who looked to be the youngest spoke up. "About a day ago sir, normally there is a couple days of activity before things go quite for a little while."

Naru nodded, as if he expected this. And maybe he did. If he can read minds, which I really think he can, what's to say he can't read the mind of a ghost hell bent on chaos. "Mai, take Bou-san and measure the temperature of the engine room, the equipment storage room, and the artifact storage room."

I nodded, heading out. I didn't even wait for a please this time. I was way to excited to see more of the ship. I had never been on one before, actually I had never really been all to close to on before either so it was really exciting.

The temperature of the engine room and the equipment storage room was normal so Bou-san and I moved on to the artifact storage room. Bou-san kept glancing at me while we walked, like he wanted to ask something but was almost afraid to. Finally he gutted up and asked.

"What happened on the phone with Lin-san? You've been avoiding him like the plague and he's actually been looking amused." I felt my face start to burn while I remembered my stupid move from earlier. Of course that only made Bou-san that much more interested seeing how I turned beat-red. He knew it had to have been good…. Or really bad.

"Nothing really. I just ended up falling while trying to get dressed while talking to him and face planted into the door." I said. It wasn't a lie. It was the absolute truth but it wasn't a lie either.

We luckily arrived at the other storage room then, saving me from being grilled. It was filled with different artifacts from different era's. It was fascinating, or at least I would have found it so had I not been getting chills from the lowered temperature.

We walked until we got to the middle of the room, using the temperature reader to take down the temperature and that's when I heard it. It was the most beautiful voice I had ever heard yet it sounded so sad at the same time. It was singing a lullaby.

_Little child, be not afraid.  
Though rain pounds harshly against the glass,  
Like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger.  
I am here tonight._

Little child, be not afraid.  
Though thunder explodes and lightning flash,  
illuminates your tear-stained face.  
I am here tonight.

Tears filled my eyes at the song. Bou-san didn't seem to hear it though and when he went to ask me what was wrong and put a hand on my shoulder some invisible force threw him across the room and out the door. I watched in detached horror as he was thrown, not quite getting what was happening until it was too late. When I did realize it I rushed out after him to make sure he was uninjured.

I had just arrived at his side when the sound of feet rushing down the hall made me look up at the rest of the team. They had rushed out as soon as they saw what had happened. Ayako went to move me out of the way so she could get a better look at Bou-san but as soon as she touched me she too was thrown against the wall by the same invisible force.


	3. The Music Box

_~~~Again I don't own the song. I will be using it alot i think so I'm just gonna get it out now. Don't own it. Don't own Ghost Hunt. Thanks For Reading.~~~_

I looked at Naru in panic. I didn't have the slightest idea what was happening, all I knew was that it was hurting my friends and it needed to be stopped.

Naru looked at me with his interrogation eyes, which happen to be the same eyes he uses every minute of every day, cold, emotionless eyes. "Tell me exactly what happened in that room."

It wasn't a question, it was an order, a full out order that I rushed to answer. "Well Bou-san and I entered it and it felt really cold so we moved to the middle of the room to get an accurate reading, just like in all the other rooms and that's when I heard…." I trailed off as I heard it again.

_Little child, be not afraid.  
Though rain pounds harshly against the glass,  
Like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger.  
I am here tonight._

I couldn't help it as I trailed off to listen to the voice that floated through the air. It seemed to wrap me in a blanket of comfort, a wrap of safety impenetrable by all around me even the formable Naru.

_Little child, be not afraid.  
Though thunder explodes and lightning flash,  
illuminates your tear-stained face.  
I am here tonight._

I was unaware of all around me as I continued to listen to the beautiful song sung by the enchanting voice. It was as if all around me just fell away like it did back when my mother used to sing to me before she passed away.

_And someday you'll know,  
That nature is so.  
The same rain that draws you near me,  
Falls on rivers and land,  
on forests and sand,  
Makes the beautiful world that you'll see.  
In the morning._

I was unaware of the fact that the people still conscious around me were staring at me as my eyes glazed over and I began staring into the abyss. My minds eye was filled with the swilling images of me as a small child cowering in fear during storms. To the people around me, they were taken aback when I started humming along with a song none of them could hear, all of them afraid to touch me because they feared what would happen. Even Masako was unsure of what was happening.

I came back to the world with a snap. Looking around at all the concerned.. And some not so concerned, cough Naru cough, faces I reutilized no one else had heard the lady singing.

"Did anyone else hear her?" I had to ask. I had to be sure.

"No. Now tell us what you heard." Again it was a command. I looked around at all the worried faces, even Lin-san looked worried which threw me off for a moment in answering.

When I got my voice back from the shock of seeing a concerned Lin-san I began describing it to them. "It was the most gorgeous song I have ever heard. Her voice.. It was so beautiful, it was soft and soothing yet so emotional too. And the song its self. It was a lullaby. It made me feel so safe." I began humming the lullaby unaware of the startle look on Gus's face when I did.

"I know that tune. There was a music box we pulled up a few months ago. It played that same song. This was just before all the strange things started happening." Naru nodded as Gus explained this.

"Show us." And Gus led the way into the storage room.

It sat on a top shelf, a small wooden box with covings of rain drops and snowflakes all along it. When Gus pulled it down and opened it the song that still resounded through my head played from the little box. "That's the song." I muttered, almost hypnotized by the song again.

"Do you feel anything from it Hara-san?" Naru asked Masako. She looked at the music box intently, her kimono sleeve covering her mouth before she shook her head.

"I feel no spirits… The box just feels… strange. Empty almost but no spirit lingers there, nor any traces." Her voice was soft and her final word was drowned out by an explosion from the engine rooms.

We were all thrown around the room by the blast as the ship rocked. Each one of us hit the wall, except me. Something, the same thing that threw my friends cushioned my collision. Whatever it was protected me.


	4. Time with Lin

Being the first to recover from the blast, seeing how I was protected from the impact with the wall helped, I rushed out of the room towards the engine room.

I arrived mere seconds before Naru and Lin to a horrific scene. Water rushed in the side of the ship and several men laid on the ground, some still screaming in agony. I rushed towards the nearest guy on the ground, trying to do whatever I could to help him. I was no doctor though, nor had I had any training at all. I was no Ayako so I was helpless.

When everyone else arrived a flurry of activity started, the whole in the ship was patched as best as it could be in a pinch, the wounded were comforted and an ambulance was called. All the while that was happening I was just sitting there. I couldn't move, I couldn't help. It was like I was frozen in horror.

I don't know how long I just sat there but the next thing I know Lin-san was kneeling down in front of me, a concerned look on his face. "Mai-chan are you okay?"

I looked at him in confusion. I was disoriented for a moment before it all came rushing back. "I'm fine.. How are the men who were rushed to the hospital?" I looked at Lin-san intently pushing the embarrassment I was feeling to the back of my mind. I had been doing such a good job of avoiding him too.

Lin-san studied me for a moment with scrutinizing eyes. "They are fine. All are going to survive with minimal injuries." He continued to study me with the same scrutinizing look until I began to squirm, very uncomfortable under his gaze. "Come with me?" He formed it like a question yet he didn't wait for my answer, he simply stood and headed for the doorway.

I scrambled up to follow him. He continued down the hallway of the ship, past Naru who was interviewing some of the staff that was in the engine room when the explosion happened. Lin-san didn't even pause to talk to Naru so I figured we were just going to some other part of the ship but I was wrong. He led me straight out of the ship and down the plank.

We continued walking in silence for a little while, both enjoying the others company but too pig-headed to admit it, not that I would admit that either.

I kept glancing at him from the corner of my eye, loving the way the sunlight caught his hair. His dark eyes seemed to gleam in the sun, making him seem more mysterious rather than less so. He might not have been drop dead gorgeous like Naru yet he was striking.

"Um… Lin-san? Where are we going?" I didn't want to sound like I didn't trust Lin-san, because I did yet I just wanted to know what was happening.

"There's a small village up here, it's a little ways away from the city we're near yet it's well worth the walk. It quite remarkable." He glanced at me, his eyes kind and he had a faint smile on his face. "I thought you might enjoy seeing it."

I smiled at him. My heart was doing a fluttery thing and I had butterflies in my stomach. We continued to walk in silence again until the village came into view. It was beautiful. It was tucked into the bay of the sea, between sea and sand with buildings made from the very land they lived on. People milled around it, kids playing soccer while their parents worked.

I grinned up at Lin-san. "Lin-san, its so beautiful." Lin-san just smiled at me, which in and of itself was surprising before leading me into the village. Some people greeted Lin-san by name but all greeted us both cheerfully. I couldn't help smiling while I took it all in.

We spent over three hours talking to Lin-san's friends in the village and just exploring it in general. I had the best time, not only because the place was gorgeous and the people were wonderful. Lin-san told me stories about the different times he visited and came out of his normally quiet shell.

It all ended when Naru called and told us he wanted us back at the ship though. I was sad that it had to end but Naru was the boss and he would probably kill us both slowly and painfully.. With a toothpick if we were late. Obviously he had some information about the case or he had work for us to do… probably the latter.

We made our way back in a comfortable silence, happiness still buzzing through me kind of like the woman's song would echo through my head. Lin-san walking beside me was a comfortable presence.

And Naru's presence when we got to the ship was like a dark cloud, ready to roll over a kill any in its path. "I don't think I pay you to take strolls at your connivance." He glared at us and I felt a bit scared. He must have been upset that things hadn't been going well with this case, seeing how it was his friend's ship.

"Sorry." I mumbled, bowing before taking a seat to listen to whatever it was he was going to say. He opened his mouth to talk again… and I was out like a light.

_Dream Naru, now known as Gene stood in front of me on the ship. He watched as I looked around, trying to orient where on the ship we were, I was not successful at that. "Hey Gene!" _

"_So you've met my brothers friend? Amazing that its possible that the idiot scientist has one huh?" Gene grinned at me and I laughed. It was amazing._

"_Do you know what's been causing the explosions Gene? And why no one could touch me without getting thrown into a wall?" Time to get down to business. I didn't want Naru to kill me for slacking off._

"_I'm not sure what's causing the explosions yet. It's a ghost for sure yet its also coming for an object, or more than one. I can't pinpoint it yet. The woman is the same way. The one who is protecting you from anything that could possibly do you harm. Like Bou-san."_

_An image appeared before us, it was a woman sitting at the bedside of her daughter, a twelve year old girl with a grin that seemed to light up the room. She was singing the lullaby while the music box played. Suddenly a man bust through the door, shooting both the daughter and then her mother. I watched in horror as it happened._

_Looking at Gene I asked, "Why is she attached to me then? I don't look like her daughter nor am I the same age."_

"_You're the youngest girl to set foot on this ship since the retrieval of the artifacts. Plus I believe its your smile." Gene laughed at that before sighing. "The idiot scientist wants his tea so you have to go back. Anyway have fun with Lin-san." He grinned before I woke up._


	5. Some Answers and Sleeping arrangments

Those two were going to be the death of me, I swear it. It wasn't going to be some crazy homicidal ghost or old age. It was going to be the Davis twins. I came back into the land of the awake with a jolt which of course was a big neon sign to Naru that I was finally awake.

"Sorry that discussing the case was to boring for your liking." His voice was icy cold to match his glare. "But I don't pay you to sleep on the job and I would like some tea if that wouldn't be a problem." He was royally pissed, not at the fact that I had been sleeping, I did that all the time and sometimes it helped with the case. He was pissed that the case wasn't going anywhere. At least that was my guess but who knows with that guy.

"Actually, you do sometimes. Like when she has the dreams that give her the keys to the case." Bou-san just couldn't keep his mouth shut. Naru turned his anger towards the poor guy who was just trying to help me and I was left with a choice. Choice A, I could slip quietly into the kitchen and make tea keeping the dream a secret for now and leaving Bou-san to his doom. Choice B, I could divert Naru's attention to me again by telling him about the dream.

"I did have one of those dreams." I said it quietly half hoping Naru wouldn't hear me. Lin-san did for sure because he was standing beside me yet Naru did hear it with his bat like ears.

He turned towards me and gave me the "explain" look. No words were necessary. I got right down to explaining what Gene had showed me. Then I told them what I thought about it. "I think the guy who came and shot them is the one reeking havoc on the ship now. Something about him seemed almost familiar, I don't know how or why but I really feel like that's our guy." I didn't know what was telling me that it was our guy but it was more certain that my instincts, the animal ones as Naru called it.

Naru walked off towards a folder that contained what could only be the information of the artifacts. After a few minutes of flipping through it Naru looked up. "The ship's name was Amber Skies. It sunk sixty years ago." He looked around at us lounging around, most barely able to keep our eyes open. "Go to bed, we'll pick this up first thing in the morning." And people said he didn't have a heart. "You are useless right now." They would probably be right in saying that.

We all moseyed on down towards the rooms only to find that our luggage had been mixed up, Masako and John were put in a room together, poor John. Ayako and Bou-san were put in a room together, and Lin-san, Naru, and I were in a room together.

We were all too tired to mess with it, plus its not like I had a problem with to any extreme. The people I had to share a room with didn't seem to sleep. Lin-san walked into the room minutes after me and I looked at him in confusion. "Aren't you watching the monitors tonight?" I was panicking and suppressing the urge to dance around for joy at the same time, more time with Lin-san away from every one where he seemed an almost different person.

"No. Naru is taking over it on this case." It was as simple as that. We both prepared for bed in silence, working around each other so it became almost a dance.

"Goodnight Lin-san." I mumbled, climbing into my bed, the one farthest from the door. I heard the rustling of sheets in the bed next to mine as Lin-san settled in. I turned to face him only to notice he was laying on his side, facing me.

"Goodnight Mai-Chan."

He reached to click of the light when I stopped him. "Mai. Just Mai. Please?" I asked.

A small smile spread across his lips at the request. "Okay, Mai." With that he turned off the light and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.


	6. Dreaming of Drowning

_~~~~Sorry it took so long to get it posted. I couldn't upload it yesterday. Enjoy and R and R~~_

_The mother sat before me, so I knew I was seeing the scene through the eyes of the daughter. I couldn't help feeling happy while the mother sang, each note blending softly into the others. I felt the daughter's emotions mirror mine before it all changed into crippling fear. The man, the one I knew shoots the mother and daughter, burst through the door. He said nothing as he raised his gun and fired yet the thoughts that filter through my mind was "I'm sorry mom." Memories of the man attempting to molest her, touching her came from the daughter. Her mother had arrived in time, slapping the man and getting him away from her daughter but he was mad. He went after her mother with the intent to kill. Luckily a worker came by at that moment. Upon seeing what the man was trying to do the worker punched him in the face, sending him sprawling on the ground before dragging him off towards the captain's quarters._

_She had hoped it would be the last they saw of him. As the bullet bit into her shoulder and pain flared sharply, enough to make her scream before going numb she watched in horror as the man turned the gun on her mother and fired once again. Blood bloomed from the bullet wound in her mother's chest._

_The man left immediately after shooting her mother, leaving the girl to watch helplessly as her mother died. Unable to work past her own shock of being shot to save her mother she watched as her mother took her last breath before her eyes glazed over with the film of death._

_The daughter felt nothing, she was too much in shock at how fast everything had happened, at how fast things continued to go wrong. Explosions could be heard from her room along with screams of fear and orders yelled as order was attempted to be regained. She didn't even notice the passing of time until the icy cold water creeping up her legs awakened her completely._

_The boat was sinking, and sinking fast. Finally awakened from shock she ran to the door as fast as the quickly raising water would allow only to find it was stuck and stuck fast. No amount of yanking would make it budge._

_She was going to die, she knew it with every particle of her being. She had known it since the moment the man had stepped foot in her cabin. Fear gripped her tightly by the throat as she sobbed. She didn't want to die, she wanted to live to be one hundred yet as the water level continued to rise higher she knew that was only a dream._

_With each passing second the water level rose, inching its way up her body till it covered her shoulders. Slowly it filled the room, just as slowly depleting the oxygen supply until there was none left._

_The daughter floated in the water, suspended above the beds her and her mother had occupied on their vacation trip. Within minutes her lungs started to burn from lack of oxygen and though she tried to hold her breath her mouth soon opened and she inhaled water. She panicked, thrashed around and trying not to breath in any more water. She kept inhaling water, her lungs getting fuller and fuller to the point where they burned and froze at the same time. The pain was excruciating, so much so she ended up passing out moments before her lungs finally exploded, killing her._

_I was with her every moment of her death, I felt everything she felt._

I woke up sobbing. It had been so painful and sad, what that girl went through at such a young age. Tears blurred my vision until handed me a Kleenex before wrapping their arms around me.

Once I had wiped the tears from my eyes I looked at who help me close. I buried my face in Lin-san's chest, inhaling his soothing sent while explaining what I had seen and felt. His hand rubbed up and down my back soothingly as my sobs slowed.

"It's okay, Mia. There was nothing you could have done and you're safe. You're safe." He whispered into my hair.

We sat there for awhile, anywhere from ten minutes to an hour without moving. I was comfortable and felt safe, oh so safe. Safer than I had felt in a really long time, that's why I was sad when he decided to pull away after awhile.

"You should try to go back to sleep again. You can tell Naru about your dream in the morning." He went to get off my bed but my hand snaked out and grabbed his tightly.

I stared down at the bedspread, red in the face, "Please… don't. Not yet. I'm scared. Please, can I sleep with you?" My face was burning by the time I finished but it was too late to turn back. On top of that I had just experienced a girl drowning, I didn't want to be alone.

Lin-san stared down at me, his face expressionless as he thought. My stomach twisted itself into knots, I was scared I had just ruined everything with him but he surprised me. He crawled onto the bed next to me.

As we settled in, him on the left side and me next to the wall, I couldn't help but think how happy I was he was here with me. And as I curled up against him and he wrapped his arm around me I felt safe. I fell asleep again smiling, tears all but forgotten. And Lin-san, unknown to me, smiled as he held me close before he to fell asleep.


	7. The Ritual

**_~~Okay. Two things. One, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I was busy getting ready for college and working. Two, sorry about my last post of the ritual. I was an idiot and I deleted half the story or something. I'm sorry.~~~_**

I slept a deepand dreamless sleep and for that I was grateful. I love helping with cases but even I can only take so much of that before things get to be too much for me. That was why I was so thankful for Lin. He made the pain go away.

As I woke up and sat up groggily I couldn't help but notice with a pang of disappointment that the part of the bed that Lin-san had occupied the night before was empty of him. I knew that it wouldn't last but for some reason some part of me wanted him to be there for me when I woke up this morning. 'He has his own life, and his own job to do' I thought to myself as I started to climb out of bed.

I had barely put my feet on the ground when I heard the toilet flushing in the bathroom that connected to the room I was in. Lin-san came out with a slightly tired look on his still emotionless face and I couldn't help but notice that he was still wearing the clothing that he had been in when he went to bed last night. 'He had just gotten up.' I thought as my heart swelled with happiness.

"Good morning Lin-san." I said with a big grin. It was almost as if the nightmare had never happened. Lin-san just looked at me and grunted, barely awake. He obviously wasn't a morning person. I giggled at the thought before skipping past him into the bathroom.

I turned on the shower, letting it warm up as I looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were bright and clear though there were dark circles under my eyes but other than that I looked as well rested as I felt.

I listened to the soft rushing of water behind me, it was soothing and soon had me swaying where I stood. The water was luring me into a trance even as I watched my eyes glaze over.

_I looked around suddenly, seeing the boat in all its passenger ship glory, before it was sunk, dug up and restored as an explorer vessel. It was gorgeous yet at the same time plain so that it wouldn't cost an arm and a leg to take anywhere._

_I continued to look around as I walked down the hallway I was in. I wasn't sure where it led but I knew that it led somewhere. That's when I heard the screaming. It started quietly, so low that I wasn't sure if I actually heard anything or if it was just my imagination._

_As I continued down the hall the screaming became louder and more pronounced until I was sure, without a whisper of a doubt that it was a little kid screaming in pain and fear. Fear clenched my heart as I heard this even though somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that there was nothing I could do, this had already happened. But that didn't matter to me as I rushed towards the sound._

_The screaming was coming from a cabin on the bottom deck. The door was closed when I got there but I didn't heed that, I threw it open and looked on in horror at the scene before me. A little girl, barely the age of twelve was pinned to the floor spread eagle, her arms and legs attached to the floor with what looked like razor wire handcuffs. My heart seemed to stop in my chest as I saw the blood streaming out of the wound._

_It was then that I noticed what she lied in the center of, it was an upside down pentacle, the symbol of the devil. I don't know for sure how I knew that but I did know that this would not be an easy case for my fellow SPR members._

"_Mai-Chan." A voice said softly behind me. Gene walked up and stood by my side. We continued to look on the scene before us as it progressed . A man appeared out of the shadows on the far side of the room. He wore a black cloak with a hood casting his face into shadows. In his left hand he held a long silver blade the glistened menacingly in the dim light._

_He approached the young girl laying on the ground slowly before kneeling at the head of the pentagram, where the child's head was. His voice rose as he started chanting in a language I couldn't understand._

_I glanced at Gene in confusion. "He's speaking Latin. He's doing a Satanic ritual." Gene answered my unasked question._

_As he finished chanting the man took the knife and ran it along his arm before he slit the young girl's throat. Tears flowed from my eyes as I watched the life flee from her pretty baby blue eyes. My heart broke for her at the horrible way she was killed._

_Suddenly a bright red light flashed from the pentagram drawn on the floor. The light seemed to be soaked in by the hooded man even as the blood which had flowed from the girl's wrists, ankles, and throat disappeared._

"_What's happening?" I asked quietly, unable to turn away from the horrible scene in front of me._

"_He's asking for the strength to kill all who oppose him." Gene said. "Time to go back Mai." He said, wrapping his arms around me in a quick hug before the scene around me started to disappear._

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on the bed I had occupied the night before. A pair of black eyes met mine as I glance around.

Lin was sitting on the edge of the bed with his laptop situated on his lap. He had been there for awhile if that was anything to go by.

"Hi Lin-san. How long have you been there?" I asked groggily as I sat up slowly and leaned against the headrest.

"Since I found you fainted in the bathroom." He said calmly. He could really give Naru a run for his money on the whole no emotion thing.

I sighed and looked down at my hands folded in my lap. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. The running water must have put you into a trance." He answered back, his attention once again focused on whatever he was typing. "What did you see?"

So I told him what I saw, tears springing to my eyes again as I thought of that poor girl who never had a chance at life. Lin-san never once looked away from his computer until I was completely finished telling what I had witnessed.

What he told me then left me shocked and touched. "I just emailed Naru what you saw so you won't have to repeat it unless he has any specific questions."

I leapt across the space between us and gave him a huge hug. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!" I yelled before my senses came back and I pulled away from Lin-san. "Sorry." I looked down with a blush covering my face and making me resemble a ripe tomato.

A ghost of a smile graced Lin-san's face as he looked at me. He leaned in until his lips lightly brushed mine before pulling away.

I looked at him in shock, brown eyes wide in confusion and hope. "I love you too, Mai." He said quietly before he stood up and walked out the door.


	8. Meeting with the Devil

**_~~~Hey everyone! I got this chapter up pretty fast. *Proud* lol. I'll try to get the next one up soon to. I'm so happy that so many people have been enjoying it. Please enjoy this chapter to. R and R!~~_**

I couldn't believe what had just happened. My mind went completely blank as I continued to stare at the space that Lin-san had just been occupying moments before. I knew what he said, I knew what he did, I just couldn't believe it.

As it slowly sunk in a giant grin lit up my face. I fell back onto the bed with a happy sigh before grabbing the pillow and hugging it close, giggling all the while. I couldn't contain my joy. I loved Lin-san and I finally found out if he loved me or not.

The only thing that could put a damper on my mood was a black haired, blue eyed narcissist. It was almost like I could feel him getting ready to tell someone to come and get me so with a sigh I got up from my happy little bubble and showered. I was just getting dressed when I heard the expected knock on the door. "Hold on a minute! I'll be right out!" I yelled.

In less then a minute I was walking through the open door with Bou-san at my side. I was just chatting away happily with him about nothing, and everything. School, teachers, how his band was doing. We continued talking even as we entered the base to Naru's usually greeting for tea.

Ignoring him, I went to the kitchen, still talking to Bou-san to make tea for everyone. Bou-san was just beginning to tease me for turning red when Lin-san's name came up in the conversation when I heard a faint humming. The song sounded so familiar but I couldn't put my finger what it was.

I stopped talking in the middle of a sentence and looked around the small kitchen, trying to find the source of the mysterious humming. Bou-san noticed immediately that I was acting strange, brother-figure that he was, and asked about it.

"What is it Mai?" He asked, concerned.

I just shook my head. "I don't know. It's humming but I don't know where it's coming from or what it is." I muttered still looking around. My instincts were telling me that it was a ghost humming, a ghost I needed to keep from being exorcised.

"Naru!" Bou-san yelled into the other room, causing me to flinch. Naru would bring Hara-san and she would sense the ghost. Then they would exorcise her. I couldn't let them do that. Fear ceased my heart as I saw Naru approaching the room with the same blank expression on his face that was always there. But before he could set foot in the kitchen and learn what was happening I bolted out of the both the kitchen and then the base leaving a stream of worried people calling after me.

I ran until I was on the other side of the ship and even then I ran until I was safely hidden. I don't know what came over me but I knew I had to protect the ghost and I knew with out a doubt that if my friends were busy looking for me then there was no way they would have time to exorcise her.

I found my hiding place in room on the far side of the boat, the door was slightly ajar yet the room itself was dark and dusty as I slipped inside. I hid right next to the door so that people looking in wouldn't see me as I was curled in the fetal position between the door and the wall. Though I was sure they could hear my heart pounding in my chest because I couldn't almost swear that I could hear it echoing around the room.

I could hear the rest of the members of SPR running down the hallway screaming my name, their voices a mixture of anger, concern, and in two cases, nothing. I pulled myself closer to the wall as quietly as I could. 'They won't listen to me if I try to explain, they won't understand so I have to hide.' Those were the thoughts that were running through my head as I heard a panicked Ayako-Chan running by, screaming my name.

It was then I saw it, something that filled with me such dread that I couldn't move, let alone scream for help from my worried friend. What I had thought was a shadow caused by the door stretched and formed into the shape of a hooded man, the same hooded man who had been doing satanic rituals on that poor little girl in my dream. Yet this was no dream.

He advanced towards me with slow, relaxed steps as if he knew that I was to paralyzed with fear to run though my every sense was telling me to. And when I finally saw his eyes, black eyes, empty eyes that glowed a faint red all hope of me ever getting away was lost. Fear clouded my brain and the frantic beating of my heat blocked out all sounds of my would be rescuers.

As he continued to advance on my frozen from a smile spread across his face, an evil smile that promised pain and agony that would be with you for eternity.

"My, my, what do we have here? A lost little girl? Why, we can't have that now can we." He hissed out with a laugh. By then he was right in front of me. He stroked my face softly before movie down my neck. When he reached my shoulder I heard it again, the song.

_Little child, be not afraid.  
Though rain pounds harshly against the glass,  
Like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger.  
I am here tonight._

Little child, be not afraid.  
Though thunder explodes and lightning flash,  
illuminates your tear-stained face.  
I am here tonight.

It was the mother again. I could feel her wrap her arms around me protectively. The warmth that the man in front of me had stolen seeped back into my body, fear stopped clouding my mind and I could finally move again. But I didn't as I heard the man speak again.

"You've stopped me once before of getting my pray and look where that got you. Do you really want to do it again, now that I am more powerful than before!?" He snarled at her, anger making his eyes turn completely red.

The mother stood her ground, and though I couldn't see her face I knew she wasn't scared of him. "You may think you are more powerful but you too are dead!" then she turned to me. Her face was kind and as I had seen it in my dream. "Child, you must go now. I will hold him off. Go back to your friends."

I nodded and went to leave the room before I paused. "Wait, what will happen to you?" I had to ask. She saved me.

"Nothing, he can do nothing to me." She looked back at the mad man. "He is not that powerful. Now go child." and with that I ran. I ran until I found the one person I knew would make the last bit of fear go away. I ran until I found Lin-san.

I saw him about to enter the base again, an irritated look on his normally blank face. "LIN-SAN!!" I yelled when I saw him. He turned to see me running towards him, the last bit of fear still in my eyes.

"Mai?" He asked, probably wondering about the fact I was running full speed towards him, just below a full blown panic. When I flung myself into his arms and wrapped my arms as tightly as I could around his body the wonder went up about fifty percent more.

"Mai, what happened?" His voice was soft as he asked me that, his arms gently, almost hesitantly wrapping around my shaking shoulders.

"I..It was the man! The man from my dream last night. He was in the room with me… I.. I couldn't move I was so scared! And then he touched my face and my neck like he did the little girl in my dream and I just knew that he was pic.. Picking me out to be his next sacrifice. That's when the mother came. She got me away and.. She stayed to distract him." I was sobbing as I told the story, not just in fear but also in relief that I was safe again and in Lin-san's arms. When I told Lin-san that the man had touched me I felt his arms tighten in what I can only assume was anger.

When I finished telling my story, my face buried in his shirt, he gently lifted my face to look at him. "Its okay now. You're safe." Then the most wonderful thing happened, he smiled at me, a gentle, heart melting smile.


	9. A Break in the Case

_**Sorry its been so long since I've uploaded. I lost the urge to write but I got it back. Tell me what you think of the new... direction. :D I will hopefully have another chapter up soon. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed.**_

I was exhausted, physically, emotionally after everything but I couldn't go to sleep that night. I laid awake, staring at the ceiling and thinking about Lin-san. Not only had he kissed me, or at least I had thought he had kissed me, and then he smiled at me so gently after my run in with the mad man. What did he feel for me? Was it the same thing I felt for him? What was it I felt for him?

After close to three hours of lying in bed I couldn't stand it anymore and decided to head to the base. There had to be something I could do there, Naru always had work for me to do.

I never made it. I took a step out of my room and it seemed I took a step back in time. I saw the Mother walk by with her daughter holding tight to her hand. I smiled at the loving but protective look on the Mother's face. I missed moments like that with my mother, I missed the security that being with my mother offered.

I followed them as they walked towards what I supposed was their room. I knew that I probably shouldn't be off wondering around by myself seeing how the mad-man wanted me as his next sacrifice but I needed to find out what was going on. I had to help the Mother and her child because of all the help she had given me and all the times she had saved me.

As I followed the Mother and her daughter into what used to be their room on the ship the scene changed around me. It was as if I had stepped back in time the minute I stepped through the doorway. The room had two beds, a large dresser, a closet, and a desk. The Mother was sitting at the desk while her daughter played with dolls on the floor between the two beds. Both Mother and daughter were completely at ease.

'_Momma! Come play with me!' _The little girl begged her Mother. She looked at the woman at the desk with puppy dog eyes as she held out one of her dolls towards her Mother.

The Mother smiled at her daughter before coming to kneel in front of her. '_I'm sorry honey. I can't right now. I have some work to do. I promise I will after I finish my research.'_ The Mother pulled her daughter into a hug before going back to the desk that was completely covered in books and papers. Curious I headed closer to the desk to see what it was that the Mother was researching and what I saw caused my blood to chill.

On the desk were information of all kinds on demons, deals with the devil, and use of innocents in sacrifices. I felt like my heart was being torn to shreds because I had trusted the Mother yet here she was researching things so much worse then what the mad-man was doing. I just didn't understand why she would save me if she was all for death and destruction.

I started to back up out of the room, tears in my eyes as I felt hurt. I couldn't help it. I felt as if I had been betrayed by my own mother. The Mother seemed so sweet and protective.

'_What are you researching momma? Are you looking to see how to beat that mean man?'_ The little girl asked as she came to sit on her Mother's lap.

'_Of course I am honey. I can't let him hurt anyone else. He's a very bad man who uses very bad things.'_ The Mother smiled down at her daughter before going back to her research. With that I realized I had to get to the rest of the gang and tell them that the mad-man wasn't a normal ghost. He was something much, much worse. All I could do was hope that Naru or Lin-san knew how to deal with him.

I ran from the room, my heart in my throat as I searched frantically for a member of SPR. I was terrified, I had something other than a ghost after me. A ghost I could handle, I've had tons of them after me. A demon, not so much. I had to find Naru or Lin-san.

"NARU! LIN-SAN!" I scream as I raced down the hall of the ship. I figured out of all the members of SPR they would be the best bet to keep me safe and to figure out what to do. Plus there was something comforting about people who don't show fear or panic, especially when I was in full blown panic mode.

The fact that I was in full blown panic mode is most likely why I didn't notice Naru until I had run him down and we both ended up sprawled on the ground. Lin stood behind Naru looking at us in amusement while the rest of SPR didn't try to contain their laughter. Naru lay under me with an angry expression on his face but I ignored that as I, not so gracefully, got to my feet and ran to Lin-san. The rest of SPR ended up laughing harder at Naru's gasps of pain as my elbows found purchase on his ribs to help me get up faster.

As Naru got off the floor Lin looked at me. "What happened Mai?" He asked, his arms unconsciously going around me. I shivered, and not all of it was from what I had recently learned about mad-man.

I looked at Lin and then Naru. "I found out something about mad-man. He's not human… I mean he's not a normal ghost!" I looked at them in panic as I tried to figure out how to explain it to them. Naru looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "He's either a demon or he made a deal with the devil or something like that!" panic laced my voice as I tried to get them to understand just what the big deal was.

It didn't seem to be working, at least I didn't think it was until Naru nodded. "That would make sense. He has seemed to have more power than normal ghosts have, even some of the more powerful ones we have dealt with. How did you come by this information?"

I looked at Naru, wondering if I should tell the truth or if it would be best for me to lie. "I… I followed the ghost of the Mother and her daughter to the room they occupied while still alive and it was like I walked into the past. The Mother was researching demons, deals with the devil, and the use of innocents in sacrifices. I think she was hunting the mad-man, trying to stop him."


	10. Mai's Plan

It wasn't Naru who ended up getting mad at me for wondering off when there was a ghost with it in for me. Lin-san's face showed what he was feeling instead of his carefully constructed mask of indifference. Anger simmered in his eyes as he glared at me. "What do you think you were doing? Do you have no concern for your safety!" he yelled at me. I flinched from the anger in his face. I hadn't meant to make him angry or make him worry. I just wanted to find out what was going on and see if I could help the Mother after all the times she helped me.

My eyes teared up as I looked up at Lin-san. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry or mad." I took a deep breath as tears escaped my eyes and ran down my cheeks. On top of everything that had been happening I didn't want Lin-san mad at me. "I just want to find out what's happening so I can help the Mother. I just want this over and the man gone." By the end I was barely containing my sobs. Lin-san looked at Naru who in turn turned a glare at the rest of the gang. With just that look he sent everyone scurrying away leaving Lin-san alone with me.

I watched Lin-san cautiously as he kept his attention on the fleeing forms of our coworkers. It wasn't until they were completely out of sight did he turn his attention back to me. I admit to being slightly scared about why he had silently asked Naru to leave us alone together. I didn't know if he was going to yell at me again and I really didn't think I could handle that without breaking down completely.

When Lin-san looked at me I was not expecting the raw emotion in his eyes. The complete and utter look of anguish in his eyes broke my heart and made me feel extremely guilt-ridden. I hated that I put that look there. I waited for him to break the silence.

I didn't have to wait long. He took a step towards me and when I tensed up, expecting him to yell at me again, he stopped short. "Mai, I know this isn't easy for you and I didn't mean to yell at you." He paused. "You just worried me. I don't want anything happening to you especially if I can help it."

I almost cried as he admitted that. I hadn't wanted him to worry about me or to blame himself as it seemed he was doing. "Lin-san, I didn't mean to worry you." I stepped closer to him and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry." I muttered into his shoulder.

I heard Lin-san sigh as he wrapped his arms around me. "It's okay. I know that's just how you are. You are so nice you feel the need to help when you can." He pulled me into him tighter. "Since you want me to call you Mai why don't you call me Koujo." I looked up at him and smiled.

We stood like that for a few more minutes as I felt the tension slowly ease out of Koujo. When his arms eased their grip on me I looked up at him again. "I know I scared you Koujo and I'm really sorry. I will try not to if I can. It just kind of happened. I saw her and her daughter and I just felt the need to follow them."

Koujo gave me a small smile before pulling away from me. "Its okay, I understand. Lets head to the base and see what Naru has planned to do about the new problem." He wrapped his arm around my waist and started walking beside me. I leaned against him as we walked in silence.

The base was in its usual turmoil when we arrived. Ayako and Bou-san were fighting and Ayako was attempting to beat Bou-san to death with her purse. John was watching them in silent amusement while trying to get Masako to talk to him. Naru was buried in his research and by the angry look on his face he had yet to find anything useful.

Naru looked up at Koujo and I with a glare when we entered before snapping at me to get him tea. Koujo rolled his eyes before going to his computer to help with the research. We had never faced a demon ghost or anything like that before so all research was necessary.

While I made Naru's tea I thought back to my vision of the Mother's room and all the information on demons she had in there. What had she been before she died? Was she some kind of psychic like the members of SPR but she simply used her powers in a slightly different way? I really wanted to know more about it. Maybe by learning more about her I could learn more about a way to get rid of the demon. It was dangerous and the longer it was around the more likely it was for one of my friends to be hurt.

"Did you find anything?" I asked when I got back to the base from the kitchenette just off from the room. Koujo shook his head but Naru didn't even look up, he was engrossed in whatever it was he was reading. "I didn't think so… I was thinking maybe I should try to go back into one of those dreams where I can visit with the Mother. Maybe she could tell us more about whatever it is that we are hunting. She was hunting it too, maybe she knows more about it and can shed some light on it."

Koujo tensed for a moment while Naru thought about it. Bou-san was the one that answered first. "NO! We can't let her! She might get hurt!" He yelled while hugging me tightly against him. Speaking of getting hurt his hug cut off my air supply and felt like it was going to break every bone in my body.

"Bou-san you pervert let her go! She's turning purple!" Ayako yelled before prying him off of me.

"Oh shut up old lady!" Bou-san yelled back, thus earning himself a good smack in the face with her purse.

While those two fought it out Naru came to his decision. "Mai, that actually is the smartest thing you've ever thought of. You can do that while the rest of the group searches the history of the ship and the background of the woman and man you keep seeing." The decision made everyone went on their way leaving Koujo to watch over me while I slept.


End file.
